Clinton County shut out for large medical marijuana grow operation

State announces list; Greene, Brown County companies get provisional licenses

By Tom Barr - tbarr@wnewsj.com

COLUMBUS — Clinton County was recently approved for a small (up to 3,000 square feet) medical marijuana growing operation for Wilmington, but a company lost its bid for a large grow site in the county.

The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program announced Thursday morning the names of 12 companies/sites that had been chosen for provisional licenses based on a scoring system.

CannAscend Ohio’s proposed Level I (up to 25,000 square feet) facility would have built on land owned by the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) of Wilmington.

The CIC of Wilmington is a not-for-profit community development organization that facilitates industrial and commercial investment to promote economic development and job creation, according to its website.

Wilmington City Councilmember Matt Purkey said in July that 40 to 60 jobs — and up to 300 — might have been created for a large grow site in Clinton County. He added that while some jobs will be paid more than others, these would be jobs that could support a family.

Ancient Roots LLC was chosen earlier for a smaller grow site in Wilmington.

David C. Haley of Lebanon, Ohio, who heads up Ancient Roots LLC, told the News Journal in November they are “excited for the opportunity, excited for Ohio and especially excited for the city of Wilmington.”

Large growers paid $20,000 to apply to operate sites up to 25,000 square feet. Initial license fees were $180,000 and renewals will cost $200,000 annually.

Spokeswoman Stephanie Gostomski said all of the sites will be indoor, high-security, regulated businesses — not outdoor farms or even the type of traditional greenhouses that Ohioans might envision.

“As you drive by, you won’t necessarily know these are grow facilities,” she said.

The companies have nine months to get their businesses operational, and a state team must visit their facilities before they get a certificate that allows them to grow, she said.

Some local governments have instituted moratoriums on growing or dispensing medical marijuana, but the department isn’t aware of any such conflicts with the locations for the selected smaller growers.

One of the businesses, Harvest Grows LLC, submitted applications for two locations — one in Hamilton Township in Lawrence County, and one in Cleveland. It will have 10 days to pick between the two.

Ohio’s medical marijuana law, passed last year, allows people with medical conditions such as cancer and epilepsy to buy and use marijuana if a doctor recommends it. It doesn’t allow smoking.

The state has offered the maximum number of licenses that it was allowed.

Ohio accepted 185 total applications, which are evaluated based on their plans for business, operations, quality assurance, security and finances.